Minneapolis has agreed to pay $600,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a woman who accused former Officer Derek Chauvin of using excessive force during an incident in January 2020. Patty Day, a former employee of the Public Works Department, claimed that Chauvin pulled her out of her minivan and pinned her to the ground with his knee, similar to the actions he took when he killed George Floyd four months later.
In her lawsuit, filed in May, Day said she was subjected to excessive force and wrongful arrest. She admitted to being intoxicated on the evening of January 17, 2020, and struggling with depression related to her impending divorce. She had been stuck in the snow for several hours before Chauvin and his partner, Officer Ellen Jensen, arrived. The lawsuit claimed the officers forcefully removed Day from her vehicle, throwing her to the ground and causing multiple injuries.
The lawsuit alleges that after pulling Patty Day from her vehicle, Chauvin assumed his familiar position by pressing his knee into her back, even though she was subdued and handcuffed. The complaint compares this to the actions he took when he killed George Floyd. Chauvin reportedly remained in that position even after Day was under control.
Day was initially charged with drunk driving, but the charge was later dropped after a judge determined the officers did not have probable cause to arrest her and excluded the blood alcohol test results as evidence.
The Minneapolis City Council unanimously approved a $600,000 settlement on Thursday. Of the amount, $175,000 will go to Patty Day, while her attorneys will receive $425,000.
This settlement brings the total amount the city has paid to settle police misconduct cases involving Derek Chauvin to over $36 million, including $27 million paid to George Floyd’s family.
Patty Day’s attorney, Katie Bennett, expressed that while no settlement can undo what Day experienced, the agreement helps hold the officers accountable for their actions. Bennett also emphasized the ongoing need for justice and reform in policing.
Chauvin, who is white, remains in a federal prison in Texas, serving time for both his state conviction for the murder of George Floyd and his federal conviction for violating Floyd’s civil rights. Floyd’s death, which was a catalyst for widespread protests, sparked a national conversation about racial injustice.